Differences between Canada & the U.S.

On the eve of the U.S. election I thought I'd share some of the differences I have noted between Canada and the U.S.

First off, before we left, we kept saying "if we forget it, we can just buy it". Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Of course, most of us have learned that Smarties are a Canadian thing and in the U.S. they use Smarties for the candy we call "Rockets". (If you don't know what a Rocket is - you've definitely seen them - it is kind of hard to describe but they're popular at Halloween. They have a clear plastic wrapper around about 10 smartie-sized candies that lay side by side then the wrapper is twisted at the ends).

But did you also know that this is wrong when it comes to Mars bars. Yes, Mars bars. In the U.S., the company that makes Snickers and M&M's calls themselves Mars, Incorporated but try as I might I can not find a single Mars bar. (And I assure you that I have tried). There website talks about Mars bars and says they're available but I've looked in 5 states in 4 Wal-marts, 3 grocery stores, and many gas stations and still nothing! Very strange. (Hint to my mom, Christmas care package).

Let's talk ice cream. Straightforward enough. I've had lots of ice cream over the years so I consider myself an expert ice cream orderer but imagine my surprise when the clerk at the ice cream store asked me if I would like a 'one dip' cone. Hmm, no, I don't like my cone's dipped. You cannot imagine the look I received until I realized that 'dip' is another word for 'scoop'. Whooda thunk it? (No idea on what happens when a person is having a 1 dip cone who actually wants it dipped in chocolate - is this double dipping?)

We've talked chocolate, we've talked ice cream, let's talk alcohol.

Smirnoff Ice in Canada is made with good old fashioned Vodka and it is 7% alcohol (if I am remembering correctly). Smirnoff Ice in the U.S. is a "Premium Malt Beverage with Natural Flavors" and it has a 5% alcohol content. Yes, on the back of the bottle it actually calls itself "flavored beer". This seems like calling an apple an orange.

Having said that, I think it is time I go and find myself a Jack Daniels Lynchburg Lemonade. (Still hoping to go to the J.D. distillery in Lynchburg later this week - I'll keep you posted).

I guess that I should mention that we're in Nashville now and plan to spend the next few days here.

Feel free to send me an email at clwelta @ hotmail.com

Carmen.